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Couple of thoughts now that the GAT Series 2 probably has close to (or more) 200 hrs of playing under its belt (assuming that cj put 50 or so hours before returning the unit-that may be an underestimate).

First, I would unhesitatingly recommend to all GAT owners to spring for the update. You won't be disappointed. The improvement in sound is much more than what would be obtained by switching from 6922 to PC88s.

Two, the new GAT retains the neutrality and dynamics and dynamic swing that differentiated (and characterized) the unit from the earlier ART preamplifier and improves on it a touch. The new GAT Serieds 2 imparts just a little less of its character into the system highlighting even more the differences between recordings.

Three, there is greater resolution especially in the upper octaves. Percussion and its intricate rhythms are more easily heard and understood. It's as if they have appeared out of no where and you don't even have to concentrate on the playing to appreciate the rhythm.

Four, the preamp is stunningly quiet and transparent. To truly appreciate this, though, requires the best in software. In this case, second generation reel to reel tapes.

Lastly, the low end is markedly improved. It's, however, more than just greater low frequency extension (read lowest octave) and authority. No. It's a greater tighness in the midbass to upper bass area. This is most easily appreciated by putting on some of the early '59-60 Contemporary jazz recordings where prior to the Series 2, the upright bass could be a little plummy to boomy side. After the update, this area is much tighter though one can still hear DuNann feeling his way around in properly recording this instrument."

Yes correct! Spot on,
1. More resolution 2. tigther bass/more responsive bass flow 3. the nuances seem to come from no where, and this is highly apparent with stats.
The one and biggest issue I have being based in Aus, this upgrade would cost us down-unda folks close to 10 grand just for the upgrade, making the overall cost of a cj GATs2 to nearly 30 grand for a preamp! Is it just a preamp- no but then again for 30 grand, there is something that I would definitely purchase without even blinking an eye- the Kondo Overture integrated- you get both pre+power together and it costs exatly 30 grand in Aus.

You folks in those hills and country side orange fields in Cal of USA are dam lucky! You only have to pay for what the manufacturer exactly charges, here in Aus land we have to pay for the bloody shipping handling/ import duty/customs duty and then finally the dealers/distributors margin and then we arrive at a final price.

However, I must say those of you who do have GAT-standard versions, if you can afford it, go for the upgrade, as Myles said you won't be disappointed but for those of you who have other priorities for a 10 grand upgrade, I would just sit back and enjoy the standard GAT. After all a GAT is a GAT!
Cheers, and happy listening Myles.

Lloyd are you still thinking of upgrading to the S2 or have you decided on remaining with the standard version...

Yes correct! Spot on,
1. More resolution 2. tigther bass/more responsive bass flow 3. the nuances seem to come from no where, and this is highly apparent with stats.
The one and biggest issue I have being based in Aus, this upgrade would cost us down-unda folks close to 10 grand just for the upgrade, making the overall cost of a cj GATs2 to nearly 30 grand for a preamp! Is it just a preamp- no but then again for 30 grand, there is something that I would definitely purchase without even blinking an eye- the Kondo Overture integrated- you get both pre+power together and it costs exatly 30 grand in Aus.

You folks in those hills and country side orange fields in Cal of USA are dam lucky! You only have to pay for what the manufacturer exactly charges, here in Aus land we have to pay for the bloody shipping handling/ import duty/customs duty and then finally the dealers/distributors margin and then we arrive at a final price.

However, I must say those of you who do have GAT-standard versions, if you can afford it, go for the upgrade, as Myles said you won't be disappointed but for those of you who have other priorities for a 10 grand upgrade, I would just sit back and enjoy the standard GAT. After all a GAT is a GAT!
Cheers, and happy listening Myles.

Lloyd are you still thinking of upgrading to the S2 or have you decided on remaining with the standard version...

Hi Big Dog,

I am pretty sure SOMEDAY i will do the upgrade. The good thing is CJ has been so steady, so reliable as a company, that i dont feel the need/rush to do it. And yes, it is expensive!!! So i think it is a 'definite someday'. Thanks for your comments...always interested to hear more from Down Under.

By the way, how does the Kondo Overture compare with the CJ GAT/CJ sound?

Hey mate, how's it going?
Yes I understand when you say someday, as it would be a definite upgrade to the series 2 but I could happily live with just the Gat and Artsa, one superb pre-power combination I have tried with the quads, simply marvelous.

The Kondo amps are a completely different league of its own. The materials used are probably the best and most expensive in the world to use in audio design. pure silver wire right throughout, plus some very exotic caps that I have never seen before. I wouldn't compare Kondo to cj simply because the price points are too far. top of the line Kondo monoblocks called the ongaku go for around 200 grand! This is even more than the Lamm's, and the Lamm's were one glorious amps that I liked very much. The Kondo entry level is their overture amp- EL34 push-pull ultralinear 32w/ch integrated but boy does it sound more like a 100 watter! it has multiple transformers something like 4, plus the materials used are superb. The workmanship is second to none and Australia doesn't have a service centre, if there's a problem you have to ship all the way over to Japan hq. The starting price is around 32 grand, there is a demo unit that I can get for around 20 grand and I was extremely tempted BUT I have to give thought first to the loveable wifey and daughter before just going after audio. This is something I have decided and not to just jump into things.

but my golly that Kondo is something else. The entire presentation and presence is so lifelike you can get up and touch each performer. right now, how I have listed my top 3 in amplification is as follows:
1. cj- Artsa and Gat s2 as overall best sound for value.
2. Lamm ml 2 or 3 series in terms of flexibility and the ability to drive even difficult loads. of course comes at a price but there are Lamm hybrids available to choose from a range of ss amplification that can drive difficult loads and sound equally impressive.
3. kondo- ongaku, kogaru or their entry level overture are remarkable! The price is definitely ridiculous but the sound & soundstage is nothing like I've heard before.

in terms of what I or normal people with families could afford to be sota, my first choice would no doubt be cj. Having said that, if only I had a few extra dollars- the kondo would be number one. frankly speaking, I don't think there is anything out there that comes close or could compare because kondo was not made to compete or compare, rather to be submerged in the very essence of music.
I only listened to the kondo amps with sf strads and the maxima, I can only imagine how they would sound through top of the line stats or magnepans or other top notch speakers like avant garde horns...
they are something remarkable and something you actually don't see all the time. The other thing is many get it confused over Audio note because at one point they were working together long time ago. AN se amps also looked the same but by far they sound nothing like a kondo design. as you say Lloyd someday is definitely "someday".
Cheers mate and take it easy.
rj

Just to inform that I have now tried and measured the Philips PCC88 in the conrad johnson GAT, just swapping tubes without any transformation.

The results are positive, the measured performance is really good, as shown in the attached spectra. Noise is better than the old tubes (Siemens ECC88) in the bass frequencies, but they had already passed the end of the recommendable life time.

Concerning the sound quality I am tempted to say it seems cleaner than before, but I need more time and surely a few tens of hours for tube burn-in before having an opinion on it.

As I have modified my 6H30 tester to measure the 6922/ECC88 I analyzed several used Sovtek 6922 that were giving problems - as I expected probably the main reason of short lifetime of these tubes is strong triode imbalance in the tube sections - an usual source of problems when the sections are operated in parallel.

Your post below is nearly a year old...where have you ended up with tubes in the CJ GAT? I can ee you are now ARC Ref Anniversary, but thought I would ask if you ended up making a final decision on the tubes for the GAT. Thanks!

Originally Posted by microstrip

Just to inform that I have now tried and measured the Philips PCC88 in the conrad johnson GAT, just swapping tubes without any transformation.

The results are positive, the measured performance is really good, as shown in the attached spectra. Noise is better than the old tubes (Siemens ECC88) in the bass frequencies, but they had already passed the end of the recommendable life time.

Concerning the sound quality I am tempted to say it seems cleaner than before, but I need more time and surely a few tens of hours for tube burn-in before having an opinion on it.

As I have modified my 6H30 tester to measure the 6922/ECC88 I analyzed several used Sovtek 6922 that were giving problems - as I expected probably the main reason of short lifetime of these tubes is strong triode imbalance in the tube sections - an usual source of problems when the sections are operated in parallel.

Your post below is nearly a year old...where have you ended up with tubes in the CJ GAT? I can ee you are now ARC Ref Anniversary, but thought I would ask if you ended up making a final decision on the tubes for the GAT. Thanks!

The CJ's are still at home, most of the time they were used with selected and matched Philips EI PCC88's.

Well...at first blush, I think the new CJ GAT 2 is more resolute, more resolved. It is very early days (hours actually), but its immediate difference in the first hour is that it is a more disciplined beast. It is not that the CJ GAT Series 1 was sloppy by any stretch, but by comparison, you can hear where details, nuances are very clearly placed, positioned and neatly presented in a very easy way. The GAT 1 would present the 'sense of these details' in comparison.